Texas Basketball: 3 most difficult remaining games this season

2. Texas Tech Red Raiders (17-9, 8-5 Big 12)

Unlike most of the teams in the Big 12 of late, head coach Chris Beard and Texas Tech actually improved at the outset of conference play. Texas Tech went into Big 12 play with four losses, which was twice as many as the Texas basketball program. Since then, Texas Tech started soaring and got themselves back into the conversation as a top 25 team.

The ball movement and floor spacing for Texas Tech is unmatched by really any other team in the Big 12 since the turn of the calendar year. Texas Tech ranks at the top of the Big 12 this year in three-point shooting percentage (40), total assists (411), field goal percentage (46.7), and points per game (70.5).

Given that the Longhorns avoid the gauntlet that is Baylor and Kansas in the last five games of the regular season, this is about as difficult as it gets. Taking on Texas Tech on the road these days isn’t easy. Only three of the 17 games Texas Tech had so far this season where they posted an offensive rating above 100, 14 of them came either at home or at a neutral site.

Texas needs to slow down this rampant Texas Tech offense and pace on the road when these two teams meet on Feb. 29. This will be the final game for Texas before the calendar turns to March, and college basketball turns to madness. This might also be the last opportunity for Texas to get a very quality win on their NCAA Tournament resume.

I don’t like to use the term “must upset”, but that does seem fitting with this situation.